[stylist] Example 1: Press release on Blind Driver Challenge attendee from state afiliate

[Donna Hill]

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

CONTACT:

Jim Antonacci, President

National Federation of the Blind of Pennsylvania

42 S. 15th St., Philadelphia, 19102

(215) 988-0888

president at nfbp.org <mailto:president at nfbp.org>

Donna Hill, media relations

(570) 833-2708

dwhill at epix.net <mailto:dwhill at epix.net>

*Retired Philly Teacher/Blind Leader Attends Historic Blind Driver Demo 
in Daytona Tomorrow*

Philadelphia, Pennsylvania (January 28,2011): Denice Brown (52, North 
Philadelphia), a retired Philadelphia school teacher and President of 
the Greater Philadelphia Chapter of the National Federation of the Blind 
of Pennsylvania (NFB of PA), will represent Pennsylvania's blind 
citizens tomorrow at the Blind Driver Challenge ^(TM) (BDC) 
demonstration at Daytona International Speedway on Saturday, Jan. 29, 
2011 (11:30 a.m.)

Congressman John Mica, (r-Florida) Chairman of the House Transportation 
and Infrastructure Committee, will hand the keys to a Ford Escape to a 
blind driver before the Rolex 24. Using ground-breaking nonvisual 
interface technology designed by Virginia Tech, the blind person will 
drive solo in a demonstration. The of the BDC is to develop nonvisual 
interface technology for use in consumer goods, which will aid blind and 
sighted alike, according to NFB of PA President James Antonacci (Willow 
Grove).

Denice can't wait. She witnessed the first BDC demonstration as a 
volunteer mentor at the 2009 Youth Slam (NFB's science camp) at the 
University of Maryland. She is one of 350 NFB members heading for 
Daytona, and is the only person from Philadelphia in attendance.

"I am attending this event," she said on Monday, "to get a first-hand 
look at the future. This is history in the making, and I felt that I had 
to live the moment in person."

According to Mark Riccobono, Executive Director of the NFB's Jernigan 
Institute (the only research and training facility on blindness issues 
run by blind professionals), the BDC began in 2004 with a challenge from 
NFB's President, Dr. Marc Maurer to America's universities to develop a 
blind-drivable car. The challenge is not to build a car that will drive 
itself, but one which can collect information necessary to drive safely 
and transmit that information in real time through nonvisual interfaces. 
Dr. Dennis Hang, Director of Virginia Tech's RoMeLa accepted the 
challenge and has been working with the NFB ever since.

The Ford Escape in Saturday's demonstration has /DriveGrip/ technology 
in special gloves. Sensors on the knuckles of the four fingers of each 
hand receive vibrations alerting the driver to turn. /SpeedGrip/ strips 
built into the seat send vibrations up the back and down the legs to 
indicate the need for changes in acceleration, according to Anil Lewis, 
NFB's Director of Strategic Communications and a member of the drive team.

###

About the National Federation of the Blind: With more than 50,000 
members, the National Federation of the Blind is the largest and most 
influential membership organization of blind people in the United 
States.   The NFB improves blind people's lives through advocacy, 
education, research, technology, and programs encouraging independence 
and self-confidence.

It is the leading force in the blindness field today and the voice of 
the nation's blind.  In January 2004 the NFB opened the National 
Federation of the

Blind Jernigan Institute, the first research and training center in the 
United States for the blind led by the blind.

-- 
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